“Today was the worst of it. She locked herself into her room, which caused our VP, Trigger, to knock it down and she almost attacked Trigger himself had I not been there to sedate her. We had no other choice. Council, we come to you asking for help. Our VP would like his Ol’ lady back and we have a two-year-old boy at the clubhouse who would like his mother back as well.
Sierra and the council sat silent for what seemed like forever before she spoke.
“You say she was scratched not bitten, correct?” A man in a suit asks while looking over his glasses. He looks like he’s been at this for a while. His suit looks expensive and his appearance looks clean, where as we look like we probably should have dressed a little better for this trip.
“That is correct.”
“Well, that’s just impossible. We don’t transform from scratches and to bite a human is punishable by death.”
“As I understand that, sir, a doctor that I worked with while doing my time in the Army is the one who has brought this to my attention. It is no secret that the public knows that we exist, we chose to stay in the shadows. But this man has seen things too and has mended many of our wounds and I can assure you what he told me is valid and trustworthy.”
The man just nods and writes down what Malik just said. Sierra stands and starts walking over towards Eve.
“It’s ashame that this is happening, it truly is, but explain to me why this is my problem.”
“With all due respect, ma’am. This is everyone’s problem.” Sierra stops in her tracks and turns around and locks eyes with Malik. “If someone has mutated our DNA to where all we must do is scratch someone and they transform, then yes we all have a huge problem. The peace we thought we had will go out the window with newborns and everything in their path could possibly be slaughtered.”
“You make a good point. Marie, come see please.” Sierra is standing over Eve when Marie Laveau stands from one of the tables. All the guys from the MC gasp, we didn’t think that the legends were true. I mean, they have a grave for her specially in St. Louis Cemetery.
“Madam,” Marie does a small bow to her mistress.
“Wake her.” Sierra demands.
Marie starts doing an incantation that none of us understand but when she finishes it, Eve slowly starts to wake.
“Evelyn, I presume. I am Sierra Thibodeaux. Can you understand what I am saying to you?”
Eve nods as she wipes the sleep from her eyes and starts to sit up.
“Good. Eve, it has come to my attention that you have been having some feelings that are uncontrollable. Is this true?”
Again, Eve nods.
While Eve and Sierra are talking, I am trying to figure out how Sierra is able to keep Eve calm.
“Malik,” I whisper across the table, “How is she doing that with Eve?”
“When an Alpha is in your presence, you can’t help but be a good doggie. Look at you, you haven’t had an outburst since we got here.” Malik whispers back with a small chuckle.
“Yeah, but how is Sierra going to believe us if Eve is calm. She needs to see what is happening doesn’t she?”
“She can sense it. She’s an Alpha, she can feel everything we are feeling, she can sense our fear for Eve and she can sense the danger if need be.”
We are brought out of our discussion when Sierra turns and faces us and Eve stands up.
“Based on what I have seen from this young woman, the video, and what my dear Marie has seen; this girl is in dire need of help. Now while it is against our nature to help a human, typically we terminate the problem before it becomes just that; she is protected and therefore we cannot harm her. However, she knows who did attack her and she can sense where he is. Boys, had you listened to your instincts you would have known this instead of cowering in fear like puppies. She will take us all to him and from there we will determine his fate.”
I raise my hand. Seriously, did I just raise my hand like I am in third grade again. What the ever-loving hell.
“Trigger,” a smile creeps on Sierra’s face.
“What do you mean by fate?” I ask.
“We will determine if he is the mastermind behind all of this, my dear puppy.” Is this bitch seriously mocking me? “Once his fate is decided, we will either banish him or Eve will terminate him.”
“So, where is this guy at?”
“Houma.” Sierra responds
Eve
I don’t know how long I have been out of it but fuck my head hurts. When I wake up there is a girl no older than twenty standing over me with an older woman in what looks like period clothing. The girl has long brown hair, golden brown eyes, slender and has a way about her that gives her a sense of royalty. I can feel the burning inside me. Everything fucking burns but whatever the older woman is chanting is keeping me from thinking about it and making me focus on this girl.
She introduces herself as Sierra Thibodeaux and from what I have overheard from the guys, she’s the alpha of all the Lycans in Louisiana. She’s asking me questions of how I feel and if I have a sense of who could have done this. I astound myself when I tell her I know who it was and I know where they are. It’s like a pull I can’t stop. I need to get to Houma, something is calling me there.
Before I know it, we are getting into vehicles, Trigger is getting onto his bike. I am a little disappointed at this. I would have thought he would want to be around me. Maybe because of what I am becoming he doesn’t want to be around me anymore. Sierra gets into the same vehicle as me. I would have thought she would have rode with her entourage; why would she want to ride with me.
It’s an hour and a half ride to Houma but the closer we get the stronger the pull feels.
“The pull will continue to get stronger, my dear. I need you to just focus all your energy on trying to control your instincts. You need to learn to trust them.” Sierra says out of nowhere. How does this girl know what I am thinking all the time?
“Do you know our history, Lycans or what is more commonly down here known as the Rougarou?” She asks.
“I’ve heard stories but never thought they were true.” I say politely, even though I think all of this is completely insane.
“Well, how about a quick history lesson. My great grandfather, Boris Thibodeaux, was the first Lycan here in Louisiana. He was born in 1567 and died in 1769.” I look at her baffled, no human can live that long. “Yes, I know, astonishing isn’t it. My father was his only living sire when he died which meant that my mother and father became alpha in 1769. We have protected our state for hundreds of years, unlike the stories you have heard. There are things that go bump in the night, Evelyn. Remember that. However, that is where we come and we protect the people of this great state so you may live without fear.”
“Can I ask a question?” I interrupt. She looks down at me like I’m an ant but nods her head. “How old are you?”
“Haven’t you heard it’s rude to ask a lady her age, but I will give you my birth year. 1850. Now, my dear do the math.” My mouth hangs open when I figure out that she is 167 years old. Seriously, what are they vampires?
“No, my dear, we are not vampires. They do exist though but don’t you worry your pretty little head about that. Now back to what I was saying. Ah yes, when my parents died, my other living sibling had long left the clan and wanted nothing to do with the family ‘business.’ That’s ok though, the title was then passed on to me and from there I have managed to keep the peace just as my parents have. The MC you are protected under, they are mine. They will answer to me. I am their Alpha. Just like you will answer to me if called upon. You cannot resist the call if I call upon you. Do you understand?”
I nod.
“Good, now this man that we are after, have you met him before you were attacked?”
“I think so. His scent is overwhelming, I can smell it everywhere and he is in my dreams every night. I can’t seem to get rid of him. I want to be with Tony, Trigger, but I can’t if my mind is constantly wrapped around this guy.”
�
�That is because he marked you. That scratch, even though what we thought was impossible, is a mark of his territory. Tony, as you call him, cannot be around you because of this mark. He loves you, make no doubt about that and in the beginning it may have not have been noticeable to Tony, but that mark on your chest prevents him from getting any closer to you until you chose. What you are going to have to decide is, if you love him as much as you think you do and stay with him or are you going to destroy him by staying with your attacker.”
“Miss Sierra, with all due respect, the change is happening; I can feel it in my blood. And once I find out who did this to me, the fucker will die a slow and painful death. I promise you that.”
“That’s what I thought. You’re a lot stronger than what you think, Evelyn Bordeaux. Don’t forget that.” She smiles. That is the same thing my mother said to me.
As soon as she says that, the pull is at its strongest and I give her a look that she understands.
“Rush, sweetheart, stop here.”
Trigger
We are pulled over in the middle of nowhere trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. Rush won’t get out of the van and Sierra and Eve are talking. Eve has her eyes closed while Sierra is talking. Shit, what kind of shit is this girl putting into her head.
As we wait, Nico gets a text from the detective friend at the NOPD. He walks over and hands me the phone. There is a picture on it and below the picture is the name that Eve has been repeating in her sleep for the last three weeks. Fuck.
I can’t show this to her. This could send her into an episode that Sierra may not be able to pull her out of. I hand Nico back the phone and give him a look to keep his mouth shut until this is all over. Next thing we know, Sierra, Eve, and Rush are getting out of the van.
“She is ready.” Is all that Sierra says before we make our way into the woods. We really don’t need our flashlights but with Eve only half way through her transition, we don’t know if she can see in the dark like we can or not.
It doesn’t take us long before we end up at a rundown shack. It’s dark and looks deserted but our senses are heightened by a familiar smell. Eve has this look on her face like she is ready to kill something at any moment.
“In there?” Rush whispers.
“I think so, we are running off Eve’s lead right now. We have to trust her instincts or she will never trust herself or us.” Malik responds.
I feel a presence behind me. It’s not one of our men and it’s not one of Sierra’s people. I slowly turn around and see a flash of white followed by burning down my arm. Sierra stands and in her authoritative voice says, “As your alpha, I command you to back down.”
The creature does as it’s told and starts to whimper. We aren’t your typical wolf-looking dogs. We stand like men but our height increases greatly. Looking at this creature is like looking in a mirror. His head is of a wolf; strong and dangerous. We can kill anything with one snap of our jaws; in the human world, it’s called lock jaw but here it’s called death. This creature stands about seven feet tall with gray and black hair all over its body except on its chest and stomach area. That area is like a bullet proof vest for us. Nothing except silver can penetrate it. The claws are as big as my face with arms twice that size and no, I’m not going below the belt. Sorry, I don’t venture that far down my mirror image.
“Return to your human state.” The sound of crunching bones and moving flesh flood our ears. The now naked man stands there trying to cover himself either out of embarrassment or respect. Either way, I can’t help but chuckle to myself. “State your name, creature.”
“Maurice Isaac.”
“Ahhh, Maurice, do you know that you attacked a protected clan?” Sierra says as she stands in front of the naked Maurice. She gets her glances in but keeps her composure.
“I was instructed to, my lady.” Maurice says as he bows head.
“By whom?” Sierra asks.
“By me.” A sinister voice comes out of the woods.
“Come and face me like a true man than, don’t send your puppy to do your bidding.”
“I’m only here for the girl.” The voice laughs
“You cannot have her. She is protected by two clans who are ready to fight to the death to keep her safe.”
“Then to death it shall be.” The voice in the woods says. We all transform into our natural state and take a defensive position around Eve, with Malik and Sierra at the front since they are Alphas.
No sooner did we change; the dogs came out to play. We are not your typical grey wolves, no, Malik himself stands about eight feet from the ground while I stand a good seven. So we are pretty huge. The first one to charge me is a black lycan with scars all over his body. I can hear his thoughts though. This is not something he wants to do to. He doesn’t want to fight the alphas. So, I try to communicate with him. Telepathy, gotta love it.
“You don’t have to do this. Surrender now and Sierra will give you mercy.” I communicate
“No, she won’t, I betrayed her. This lycan is psycho, man. We will back down if you can kill him” He tell me.
“Eve, sweetie, I know you can hear me. I need you to be strong right now. These lycan don’t want to fight us, we need you to find the one who marked you. Please baby. Can you understand me?”
It took a long moment of fighting before I got an answer.
“Yes, I can hear you. I know where he is. Follow me.” She says
And she takes off. Fuck this girl here is going to be the death of me. We all follow her, including the lycans who attacked us. This is not going to be good, especially if she can’t shift into her wolf state. If Max shifts, that could be it. Would Sierra allow that to happen? Would she allow a lycan to kill a human even if they are turning?
Eve
I’m closing in on the fucker who did this to me. I can feel it. I want to change; my body is telling me to change but I’m fighting it until the very last second. I can smell him everywhere but it takes a few minutes before I can actually find him. Finally, I see him.
“Well, I’m here. Let’s do this.” I yell with my arms open ready to fight.
“I thought you were against fighting, Evelyn.” That voice. I know that voice. It’s the voice that haunts my dreams, the voice that makes me want to rip everything apart.
“Who are you? I deserve to know who marked me?” I demand.
“You should already know that answer, Evelyn. I have visited you while you slept, don’t you remember? I mean you are the one you mothered my child.”
At those words my heart sinks. Max. Max did this to me. Max, Alec’s father. I mean I know he’s a dick but why. Why would he do this to me?
“You see Eve, I have seen you around that worthless piece of shit mutt you’ve been hanging around with. And you took my son around him too. And that just doesn’t fly with me. My family comes from a strong line of Lycans that those mutts wouldn’t be able to keep up with. My ancestors made sure that I would have my son. So, I made sure that you will never stray again,” Max says as he walks up to me and whispers in my ear. He grabs the back of my head and pulls it back, “I will have what is rightfully mine.”
“Over my dead fucking body.” I yell. Then I hear rustling in the woods.
“Eve!” Tony yells and I hear him running to me. Only to be stopped and Malik to say something to him that I couldn’t understand.
“That can be arranged, my dear Evelyn. And your precious mutt can sit here and watch you bleed ever so slowly.” Max growls. He starts to transform before my eyes. As his bones crack and dislocate and fur replaces his skin, his true self comes into light. He stands at least seven feet tall, his eyes are red, blood is coming from his mouth from his teeth shifting.
I try to will myself to turn, but I have not mastered how to do that yet. Note to self, have Tony teach me show to shift. I look up at Max daring him to do something, when he takes a swing at me with his claws. I can hear Tony fighting the guys to get to me. I turn around to him and give him a fai
nt smile.
“No, Eve. No! Don’t do this!” Tony yells to me. Then from behind me I hear a familiar female voice.
“By the powers of the Alphas, I command you to kneel.” Sierra. Thank God.
Max is on his knees, he’s trying to fight Sierra’s commands, but no one can resist the Alpha.
“Maxwell Thomas. You are hereby under the authority of the Alphas of Louisiana and the Hellfire Dogs MC of New Orleans. Your crimes are harming a human, endangering a child due to harm of the human, and illegal use of DNA. How do you say?” Sierra is in front of him looking down on him like she is ready to snap his neck.
“Kiss my ass, bitch.” Max growls.
“Wrong answer.” Sierra nods to one of her men and he pulls out a silver sword he had sheathed in his belt. The man walks over to Max and steps on his hand. He lines up the sword and within seconds Max screams out in pain, holding his hand as blood pours out of it. “Want to try again?”
Max doesn’t say anything.
“You know even with your silence, you will lose limbs. So, you can either talk or we can make this extremely painful for you.” Sierra has a sinister look on her face, like she is enjoying this.
“I don’t know who gave me the mutated DNA.” Max says in between sobs of pain. “The other two charges though, not guilty.”
“You have already been found guilty, my poor dear. This is not the human judicial system. This is my court.” Sierra says as he strokes his face. “And for that your fate will be decided. As for the one who gave you the DNA, we will find him too and terminate him as well.”
“Please, ma’am. Please spare me. I will leave Eve alone, I promise. Just let me live for my son.” Max is begging. Holy shit, I want to laugh so hard at that fucking comment.
“You had your chance with your son. Unlike the humans and their petty court systems, I don’t play by their rules. He already has a father who doesn’t try to harm his mother. Eve.” She motions to me since I was standing over off to the side by Seg. I walk over to Sierra as she offers me the bloody sword. “Be sure not to cut yourself, dear.”
Trigger's Salvation: Hellfire Dogs MC #1 (Hellfire Dogs MC Series) Page 11